IBC 2009: AmberFin Nets Big Warner Bros. Deal

Video processing and transcoding specialist AmberFin announced Sept. 14 at IBC that it has inked a deal with Warner Bros. to deliver a complete ingest and transcode solution based on the JPEG2000 compression standard for Warner Bros. Technical Operations' DETE (Digital End-to-End) workflow and distribution system.

The new AmberFin solution, which should be delivered later this fall, will deliver high-quality masters at bit rates ranging from 100 to 150 megabits per second. It is the first use of JPEG2000 compression by AmberFin. AmberFin been collaborating with Warner Bros. on the ingest and transcode system since last March, says Amberfin CEO Jeremy Deaner, and has subsequently incorpated JPEG2000 support into the latest version of its iCR content-repurposing system, Version 5.0.

"It's not just [implementing] the codec, there's a whole lot of other work you need to deal with to make JPEG2000 work properly," says Deaner.

Working with a system integrator, AmberFin will incorporate the new tool into the existing DETE platform to support the creation of high-definition and high-resolution "eMasters", from both new and library materials and physical and digital sources, in an automated fashion. As part of the implementation, the master files will be quality-checked using AmberFin iCR's automated Quality Control and Assisted Review Station. HD eMasters will be stored with file transformations done in an automated fashion, eliminating the need to store multiple format versions.

"iCR provides our studio with the platform needed to support the changing dynamics and relevancy of time-to-market associated with the host of new digital businesses being launched," said Darcy Antonellis, President of Warner Bros. Technical Operations, in a statement. "The level of automation developed directly and positively impacts our cost incurred to deliver high quality content to partners and consumers."

Also at IBC, AmberFin launched "Avid Connect" and "Camera Connect", new products based on the iCR software that are designed to allow generic storage to seamlessly work with Avid editing systems. Those products, which handle file-based and live ingest, respectively, will be sold through AmberFin channel partners.